User Profile

Strakul

Strakul@wyrms.de

Joined 2 years, 11 months ago

Science fiction and fantasy. Astronomical Data Scientist at STScI/MAST in Baltimore. Opinions are my own. Follow me on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@VirStrakul Longer reviews on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/

#Astronomy #Books #Gaming #Fantasy #SciFi

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Strakul's books

2025 Reading Goal

41% complete! Strakul has read 5 of 12 books.

Isaac Asimov: I, Robot (EBook, 2004) 4 stars

The three laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, …

A series of short stories in Asimov's Robot universe

4 stars

A classic, with lots of fun robot stories and how they reveal the use and applications of the Three Laws of Robots. This book has a more positive look towards the future both for humanity and its robots. One can hope that we learn from stories like this.

A somewhat longer review is available at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2025/04/book-review-i-robot-by-isaac-asimov.html

Arthur C. Clarke: Rendezvous with Rama (Paperback, 1990, Spectra) 3 stars

"At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub …

Exploring an alien spaceship

5 stars

This book is fascinating. It's very much a hallmark of it's time, with a few astronomical inconsistencies now that we know better, but that doesn't detract from it. At it heart, it's about exploring a fascinating space ship from an alien civilization. You, alongside the characters, are left wondering at Rama's purpose, it's inhabitants, and how everything works. The joy of discovery is a central theme for this book. I may not remember the characters or points of the plot years from now, but I will remember Rama.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2025/02/book-review-rendezvous-with-rama-by.html

Empty Author: Wind and Truth (2024, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom) 5 stars

Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future …

Journey Before Destination

5 stars

This is the ending of the first arc of The Stormlight Archive and it is quite an impressive book. It's very long, and the plot does suffer a bit in the middle parts, but the setting and characters are well established so I felt drawn to it all the way. Overall, it was a great book and a fitting conclusion to this arc. I really want to know what happens next, but suspect it may be several years before we return to Roshar.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2024/12/book-review-wind-and-truth-by-brandon.html

reviewed Dawnshard by Empty Author (The Stormlight Archive, #3.5)

Empty Author: Dawnshard (Hardcover, 2021, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom) 5 stars

From Brandon Sanderson―author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive and its fourth …

An interesting seafaring adventure in Roshar

5 stars

I've been re-reading The Stormlight Archive to prepare for the upcoming novel and had missed this one. It's quite fun and very intriguing on what it reveals, both for Roshar and the Cosmere.

For a longer review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2024/10/book-review-dawnshard-by-brandon.html